10 DECEMBER 2016

Hatton Could Fight Again As Soon As October

By Clive Bernath; If rumors circulating around the boxing world are true then former two weight world champion Ricky ‘Hitman’ Hatton could fight again as early as October.

I’m told the 33 year-old has been training intensely over the last three months and has shifted a lot of weight. It is the best kept open secret in boxing circles that Hatton is thinking about fighting again but so far Hatton himself has not made any official announcement. That, however, could be about to change as speculation mounts that he could fight again in October or November at the MEN Arena in Manchester, the venue of so many of his famous victories.

Hatton has not fought since being destroyed inside two rounds by a peak Manny Pacquiao in May, 2009.

A Hatton return after such a long layoff in his home city will almost certainly guarantee a complete sell out of the MEN Arena and at the same time create renewed interest in the sport of boxing in Britain. The aforementioned coupled with superb performances by British boxers at the London Olympics means boxing in the UK can again expect to become a high profile sport again over the coming season.

I for one would dearly love to see Hatton fight again BUT only if he can re produce some of the form that made him one Britain’s most popular and loved fighters over the last 20 years. I’m certainly not expecting see the peak Ricky Hatton that impressively took apart Kostya Tszyu in 2005, and we cannot expect to, but I do want Ricky to do himself justice. So please Ricky, if there is a single doubt in your mind about whether or not you can come out of retirement and perform at the highest level abort any plans of a return enjoy your well earned retirement.